Drum Castle, Drumoak, United Kingdom

Drum Castle was for centuries the seat of Clan Irvine. The original 13th-century tower of Drum Castle has been suggested as the work of medieval architect Richard Cementarius, who built the Bridge of Don in Old Aberdeen. It is believed to be one of the three oldest tower houses in Scotland (and notably unaltered). A large wing was added in 1619 by the 9th laird, and further alterations were made during the Victorian era.

The castle and its grounds were granted to William de Irwyn in 1325 by Robert the Bruce, and remained in the possession of Clan Irvine until 1975. William de Irwyn was armour bearer/secretary to King Robert the Bruce. Drum played a role in the Covenanting Rebellion leading to its being attacked and sacked three times.

The castle is surrounded by late 18th-century gardens, including a rose garden and arboretum containing trees from all regions of the 18th century British Empire.

Today, the castle is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is open during the summer months. The chapel, dining hall and estate may be hired for weddings and corporate functions. A variety of local events such as classic car rallies and musical fetes also occur here. There is also a small shop and tearoom within the castle.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Farah Mathres (2 years ago)
One-hour guided tour only of the castle, the garden is accessible independently. Since the castle was not part of our explorer pass, I found it a bit more expensive than the others, £27.50 for an adult and child, plus £3 for parking, plus drinks and snacks, and souvenirs if you decide to buy them. I would recommend purchasing a National Trust of Scotland membership if you plan on doing the castle trail. The tour was a bit long for my 7-year old, although quite informative for older folks. The garden was beautiful and well maintained.

Shurik McLaren (2 years ago)
A bit pricey tickets, costly car parking (£3), WC, no ghosts at the time of our visit((( even though informative, lots of exhibits and history remained

Mark Herford (2 years ago)
We spent a wonderful few hours at this National Trust of Scotland property. Michelle our guide was a dressed in costume as the lady of the house and was thoroughly engaging and informative. Without doubt the best ever National Trust experience for us during our visit to many properties in Scotland. The house was impeccably.presented and the furnishings, painting and decoration were excellent and greatly enhanced by Michelle's very knowledgeable and entertaining guidance. Would recommend very highly as a must visit.

Katalin (2 years ago)
The castle is worth watching. The guide was okay, but I felt there were too many people in one group. Unfortunately, we couldn't look around properly. However, we had a fantastic soup at the coffee shop.

Garousi Yousef (2 years ago)
Very beautiful and peaceful castle. Staff was very knowledgeable and friendly and funny.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Drum Castle

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus